Three days had passed, and Phoebe walked through the hospital, her body exhausted. Tears welled up in her eyes as she gazed at her parents lying unconscious in their beds.She would find the money. Her parents would be okay!But—Where was she going to find so much money? She had already begged for help wherever she could, lowering herself, speaking softly, but the amount she managed to borrow was still a pittance.Suddenly, a face flashed in her mind. She remembered Curtis, and for a moment, a glimmer of hope sparked within her.She could ask him for a loan, and once she graduated and found a job, she'd pay him back.Nervously, she tried calling Curtis' private number. But after several attempts, the phone was still switched off.She tried calling Merle as well, but no one answered. Disappointment crashed over Phoebe once again, and the last bit of hope in her heart crumbled.She wandered aimlessly through the streets, her figure fragile and lost. The path ahead seemed uncertain, and
Night had fallen.Phoebe stood in front of the full-length mirror, staring at her reflection. She was startled by the new face before her—she could hardly believe the beautiful woman in the mirror was herself.She had blossomed even more than she had three years ago, her beauty radiant and captivating, though she hadn't noticed it herself.Usually, she dressed casually, favoring simple, neutral colors.But now, she was wrapped in an elegant, black gown that hugged her curves, making her look like a goddess who had descended to Earth—graceful and mesmerizing.Her skin was smooth and flawless, her makeup meticulously applied, and her hair as black as ebony.Her slender figure radiated charm with every subtle movement. She was stunning, alluring, a true beauty. Yet, Phoebe had no heart to admire her own reflection."You are the most enchanting girl I've ever seen," the stylist said, nodding with satisfaction, showering her with praise.Phoebe lowered her head, a shy blush tinting her che
Phoebe stood frozen, her body stiff as disbelief washed over her. Her face, already pale, turned ashen, and a cold dread settled deep within her.She was terrified—this man was drinking the blood from her neck like a vampire.Could it be that the manager had set her up with a sadistic psychopath? A man with some twisted, violent fetish?Panicking, Phoebe started struggling with all her might, pushing against the man pressing her down. "No—please, stop. Don't do this!""Please... stop..." She repeated her plea in desperation, but the icy aura radiating from the man made it hard to breathe.Her fear intensified as she tried to push him away, even though she had mentally prepared herself for what was to come.But this man... this man was different. He made her heart race with sheer terror.Angered by her resistance, Alexander's grip tightened, sending sharp pain through her body.How dare she defy him again and again? Fine. If she wanted to fight, then she'd better be ready to face the c
The first gentle rays of morning sunlight filtered through the window, casting a soft glow over the girl curled up like a baby on the bed. Her eyes were closed, but her eyelashes trembled slightly. She seemed uneasy, her brows furrowed just a little. Yet her sleeping face remained peaceful and beautiful.It took a long time before Phoebe's consciousness gradually cleared. Slowly, she opened her clear, bright eyes and let out a soft groan, trying to move her body.Down there—it hurt. It felt like she had been run over by a truck.The memories of last night flooded back, making her shiver uncontrollably.God, recalling those shameful moments, a wave of humiliation exploded within her, tears rolling down her cheeks...The man was no longer in the room, but his faint masculine scent still lingered in the air.Phoebe sniffled, blinking back the tears as she pulled the black silk blanket off her aching body. Naked, she sat up slowly, her bare skin exposed to the cool air.Her once flawless,
Instead of going straight to the hospital, Phoebe decided to return to her dorm and change clothes first.Valleybrook wasn't far from Meadowville, just an hour by bus. But today, for the first time, she splurged on a taxi since she had no money on her and was wearing makeshift clothes. As much as it pained her to spend the money, she had no other choice.The taxi ride was fast, and in half an hour, she arrived back at school. Phoebe planned to go up to her dorm, grab some money, and then come down to pay the driver. However, the driver refused, fearing she might run off.After a tense standoff that lasted nearly ten minutes, with classes about to let out, she had no choice but to borrow the driver's phone and call her friend Alva for help."Phoebe, what's going on?" Alva rushed over, her face filled with concern as she looked at Phoebe, who was crouched on the ground in a daze.Seeing her friend in such a disheveled state, with visible marks on her skin, Alva's heart clenched with wor
After changing her clothes and treating the wound on her neck, Phoebe headed to the design building to request a leave of absence from her professor. She needed to take time off to care for her parents at the hospital.Clutching the bank card, she went to the payment counter. With the money from her friend, combined with what she had saved over the years from selling her artwork, she barely had enough to cover her parents' surgery costs.Inside the hospital room, Anila had already woken up, but her father was still unconscious."Mom, have some food.""Phoebe, my dear, you've been through so much," Anila said, her eyes filled with concern as she looked at her daughter."Mom, it's not hard at all. You and Dad just need to get better." Phoebe forced a smile."Ah..." Anila sighed, her face looking much older and more worn.Phoebe knew what her mother was thinking and gently tried to comfort her."Mom, don't worry. Dad will recover. You both just need to focus on getting well. As for the mo
It was already 11 p.m. by the time Phoebe left the hospital, wandering alone through the streets.The night wind tousled her messy hair, but she didn't bother fixing it. She walked aimlessly, letting the cold breeze chill her face and stir up the confusion in her heart. There were few pedestrians on the street, though many cars passed by. Her silhouette, however, stood out in its loneliness, enough to make anyone feel for her.A single tear slipped from beneath her black-rimmed glasses, landing on her lips. The tear tasted salty, bitter, and painful... much like her current state.Her mind was consumed with thoughts of money—no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't think of a way to come up with the funds she needed.Suddenly...A blue Bugatti Veyron screeched to a halt just a few meters ahead of her. Its bright headlights cut through the darkness, blinding her momentarily.Phoebe froze for a second, wiping the tears from her eyes. The car was blocking her path, so she turned to wal
In the bathroom, the water cascaded down her body, following every curve.Phoebe closed her eyes, letting the hot water pour over her for what felt like an eternity.Finally, she turned off the faucet and took a deep breath, staring at her reflection in the mirror as she forced a smile."It's only a year," she whispered to herself. "It'll pass quickly."Her eyes stung with unshed tears.The thought of becoming his mistress was like a knife twisting in her chest.In her world, especially in art schools like hers, many were willing to sell their bodies to wealthy businessmen in exchange for a life of luxury. She had always looked down on those who took that path—yet here she was, finding herself in the same situation.A one-night stand. Being kept. These modern, shameful realities had somehow become hers.She laughed bitterly. How had it all gone so wrong?Her fingers trailed along her neck, brushing the scar that had already begun to heal. The occasional sting from it reminded her of th
The harsh, sterile hospital lights cast a cold, icy glow over Phoebe, as if they were a layer of frost, unfeeling and relentless.She was being held up by several people, her feet barely touching the ground, kicking frantically in panic as they pushed her toward the operating table.Fear surged within her like a tidal wave, drowning her in an instant. Her voice trembled, filled with a desperate, tearful scream: "What do you want to do to me?"A subordinate, seeing her struggles, quickly stepped forward with a forced smile, trying to appear reassuring. He spoke softly, "Don't be afraid. We're just calling in a doctor to check on your baby, make sure everything's okay. It'll be over soon, I promise. We're not going to do anything to you."Phoebe's eyes widened in terror and doubt, her voice shaking as she questioned, "Is that true?"Her hands instinctively moved to protect her belly, her heart filled with concern for her child. She was terrified that t
As the guests gradually dispersed, the church was left in disarray, filled with an unbearable tension. Alexander stood motionless, an aura of chilling menace radiating from him as he issued his command in an icy tone:"Break all ten of her fingers."His voice carried a frigid cruelty, like a messenger from the depths of hell, sending shivers down everyone's spine.Melissa nearly fainted at his words. Her face drained of all color, and terror engulfed her like a relentless tide.She screamed in panic, her voice hoarse with desperation. Even now, she clung to a sliver of hope, refusing to admit the truth. "Alex, she's the fake one! She is! You should be questioning her, not me!"But her feeble protests meant nothing in the face of Alexander's fury.Before she could finish speaking, several towering men closed in on her like ravenous wolves, seizing her with an iron grip. Melissa thrashed wildly, but she was nothing more than an insect caught i
Melissa turned pale upon hearing Hermosa's words, the color draining from her face in an instant.In a panic, she clutched desperately at the hem of Alexander's coat, her nails digging so deeply into the fabric that it nearly tore. Gone was her careful imitation of Hermosa's voice—her sharp, shrill cry shattered the solemn silence of the church."No! That's not true! Alex, I am the real one! She's the fake—she's Melissa!"Her voice was filled with terror and desperation, like a cornered beast howling in despair."Hermosa"trembled as tears streamed down her cheeks, each drop carrying the weight of sorrow and pain. "How could you be so vicious? This isn't even the first time—you've tried to frame me twice now. I am your sister! How could you do this to me?"Her eyes were filled with disbelief, her voice choked with emotion, as though she were questioning fate itself—why was it so cruel? Why had her own sister turned agai
"Hermosa, what are you doing here?"A deep voice suddenly sounded from behind. Melissa's body trembled violently, as if she had been caught red-handed in an unspeakable secret.She hurriedly hid her phone behind her back, her fingers trembling slightly. Her voice involuntarily rose, tinged with undeniable nervousness. "Alex, y-you...when did you get here?"Alexander approached her steadily, a gentle smile on his face. "I just arrived. When I didn't see you in the dressing room, I got worried that something had happened to you, so I came looking. I didn't expect to find you here." Tilting his head slightly, his eyes filled with concern, he asked, "Are you overthinking things again?"Melissa secretly breathed a sigh of relief—he hadn't overheard her phone call.She nodded lightly, her voice soft and sweet. "Mm, Alex, I was just feeling a little nervous, so I came out to get some fresh air.""You look beautiful today." Alexander com
The next morning, as Phoebe slowly awakened from her slumber, an unsettling feeling washed over her. Instinctively, she glanced around, only to realize she was no longer in that cold, oppressive, enclosed room.Everything here was different—warm, comfortable, and inviting. The bed beneath her was as soft as clouds, and beside it lay several neatly arranged maternity outfits, each exuding a gentle, soothing scent.The sudden change filled her with confusion, her mind a tangled mess.Sitting on the edge of the bed, she ran her fingers over the delicate fabric, trying to piece together what had happened. But no matter how hard she thought, she couldn't make sense of it.She changed into one of the outfits and walked to the door. As expected, it was locked tight. No matter how much force she applied, it wouldn't budge.With a sigh, she returned to the bed, her brows furrowed in deep thought. A mixture of wariness and bewilderment flickered in her eyes. She had slept so deeply that she had
Alexander's Office"Alexander, let Phoebe go right now!" Gavin burst into the office like a storm, his chest heaving violently, his eyes burning with urgency and fury.He could hardly believe that Alexander could be so ruthless. Phoebe was pregnant, yet he had locked her up in such a horrid place. If he weren't afraid of harming her, Gavin would have already blown that wretched place to pieces."I'm sorry, sir, we really couldn't stop him. He forced his way in," the bodyguards behind him stammered, their faces filled with fear."Let her out now! Do you hear me?!" Gavin ignored the bodyguards completely and roared at Alexander, his voice filled with undeniable urgency.Alexander smirked with disdain, his gaze mocking as he looked at Gavin like he was nothing more than a pathetic fool. "Weren't you so capable before? Didn't you say you'd blow that place up?"Gavin was completely enraged by his ridicule. In his fury, he lunged forward, grabbing Alexander by the collar and hoisting him up
Hermosa felt the world spinning around her. Her legs weakened, nearly giving out beneath her. Her mind went blank—she couldn't believe what she had just heard.Alexander's child? Impossible..."Do you know how much I hate her?" Melissa suddenly burst into hysterics, wildly flailing her arms in the air."You were already dead, yet she had to appear and steal Alexander away from me! She deserved it!" she screamed, her eyes brimming with pain and despair."Do you have any idea what Alexander did to me because of that wretched woman? He locked me in a dungeon, let those disgusting men violate me, and tormented me every single day! Every day, I had to endure countless men... You can't even begin to imagine that kind of suffering!"Her voice had grown hoarse, her face a mix of tears and sweat, completely lost in the depths of her harrowing memories."Do you know how much it took for me to escape? I took a drug that stopped my heart from beating. A slightly higher dose, and I would've been d
Melissa watched with satisfaction as Hermosa's expression changed, her eyes narrowing slightly, her voice laced with an almost imperceptible chill. "My dear sister, do you still recognize me?"Hermosa remained silent. The air between them grew heavy, as if frozen in place.Seeing this, Melissa smirked mockingly, waving her hand slowly in front of Hermosa's face in deliberate provocation. "Oh, silly me, I almost forgot—you lost your memory, didn't you? What a pity. If you hadn't, I bet you'd be so furious right now that you'd pass out all over again." Her words were like shards of ice, each syllable carrying a bone-chilling sting.Melissa's hatred for Hermosa had taken root in childhood.Despite looking identical, Melissa had always been the gentler, more amiable one. And yet, it was Hermosa who was always adored, always surrounded by friends, always favored. Men fell at her feet, drawn to her like moths to a flame.But what truly made Melissa seethe was Alexander's unwavering devotion
The night was as dark as ink, thick and impenetrable. The hospital rooftop was shrouded in an eerie silence. A sharp, biting wind howled through the air, cutting like blades against the skin.In the midst of the chilling cold, Hermosa slowly opened her eyes. The unfamiliar surroundings jolted her into wakefulness, her heart hammering in her chest as fear spread through her veins."Where am I? How did I get here? What happened?"A flood of questions swirled chaotically in her mind. Desperately searching for answers, she scanned her surroundings, her gaze brimming with confusion and unease.Then, she saw it—a lone figure standing a short distance away, her back turned.Hermosa's eyes locked onto the silhouette. A strange sense of familiarity surged within her, as though something deep in her memory had been stirred. She stared unblinkingly, trying to make out the woman's face.Suddenly, the woman turned around, her lips curling into a chilling, enigmatic smile as she fixed her gaze on H